God's New Bible

The Revelation of St. John the Divine

Unlocked Dynamic Bible :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 18 -

(Isaiah 21:1–10)
1
After this I saw another angel, one who had great authority, coming down from heaven. The earth became bright because he was shining so intensely.
2
He shouted with a very loud voice, “God is about to completely destroy the very evil city of Babylon. As a result, all kinds of evil spirits will live there, and all kinds of foul and detestable birds will live there. Babylon is like a prostitute
3
with whom all the people groups engaged with her in the passion of sexual immorality, which is like getting drunk on too much wine. Yes, and the kings of the earth have done the same things with her. The world’s merchants became rich because she wanted to commit so much sexual immorality.”
4
I heard Jesus speak from heaven. He said, “My people, flee from that Babylon in order that you do not sin as those people do. If you sin as they do, I will punish you in those seven different ways, just as I will punish them.
5
It is as though their sins have been piled up to heaven and God remembers them, so now he will punish them.”
6
To the angels whom God assigned to punish Babylon, Jesus said, “Pay back the people of that city to the same extent that they harmed other people. Cause them to suffer twice as much as they caused other people to suffer.
7
To the same extent that Babylon, like a woman, has honored herself and done the things she wanted to do, to that extent torment her and cause her to grieve. Do that because in her mind she thought, ‘I rule as a queen! I am not a widow, and I will never mourn as widows do!’
8
So in one day, terrible calamities will come upon her. The people in that city will die, others will mourn for them, people will be hungry because there will be no food, and the city will burn up. Lord God is able to punish her because he is mighty.”

Lament over Babylon

9
The kings on earth who have acted immorally with her and have done just what they wanted to do with her will weep and mourn for her when they see the smoke of the fire that will burn there.
10
They will stand far away from Babylon because they will be afraid that they will suffer just as she does. They will say, “How terrible it is for Babylon, that strong city! God is punishing her suddenly and swiftly!”
11
The merchants of the earth will weep and will mourn for her because no one in her will ever again buy the things that they have to sell.
12
They sell ornaments made of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls. They sell expensive cloth made of fine linen and silk, expensive cloth that is dyed purple and crimson. They sell all kinds of rare wood, all kinds of items made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble.
13
They sell cinnamon, spice, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain. They sell cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots. They even sell human beings as slaves.
14
The good things you people longed to have are gone! All your luxurious and splendid possessions have vanished! They will be gone forever!
15
The merchants who sold these things and who had become rich will stand far away because they will be afraid that they will suffer just as the city has. They will weep and mourn,
16
and they will say, “Terrible things have happened to that great city! That city was like a woman, dressed in clothes made of fine linen cloth and expensive cloth dyed purple and crimson, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls.
17
But suddenly and swiftly God has destroyed all these expensive things.” Every ship’s captain, all people who travel by ship, all sailors, and all others who earn their living by traveling on the ocean will stand far away from the city.”
18
When they see the smoke of the fire that is burning there, they will shout, “No other city has ever been like that great city!”
19
They will throw dust on their heads to show that they are sad, and they will shout, weep, and mourn. They will say, “Terrible things have happened to Babylon. That city made many people rich, the people who had ships that sail on the ocean in order to sell their expensive things. God has suddenly and swiftly destroyed that city!”
20
Then someone spoke from heaven saying, “You who live in heaven, rejoice over what has happened to Babylon! You who are God’s people, including you apostles and prophets, rejoice. You must rejoice; God has justly punished the people there because they acted so terribly toward you!”

The Doom of Babylon

21
Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large stone for grinding grain, and he threw it into the ocean. Then he said, “You people in the great city of Babylon, God will throw down your city so that it will disappear just as that stone disappeared in the ocean! Your city will be gone forever!
22
In your city, there will never again be anyone playing harps, singing, playing flutes, or blowing trumpets. There will no longer be any skilled workers making things. There will never again be people grinding grain at the mills.
23
No lamp will ever again shine there. There will never again be the happy voices of any bridegroom and his bride. God will destroy your city because your merchants were the most important men in the world. You used witchcraft to deceive people of all groups of people.
24
You are also responsible for killing the prophets and others of God’s people. Indeed, you are guilty of every murder committed on the earth!”
(Isaiah 21:1–10)
1
After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky, having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.
2
He cried with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hated bird!
3
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her luxury.”
4
I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her sins, and that you don’t receive of her plagues,
5
for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6
Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her double.
7
However much she glorified herself and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.’
8
Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire, for the Lord God who has judged her is strong.

Lament over Babylon

9
The kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived wantonly with her will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,
10
standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For your judgment has come in one hour.’
11
The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise any more:
12
merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;
13
and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and people’s bodies and souls.
14
The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you. All things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and you will find them no more at all.
15
The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her, will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
16
saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls!
17
For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.’ Every ship master, and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their living by sea, stood far away,
18
and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like the great city?’
19
They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!’ For she is made desolate in one hour.
20
Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets, for God has judged your judgment on her.”

The Doom of Babylon

21
A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and will be found no more at all.
22
The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman of whatever craft will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you.
23
The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you, for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery all the nations were deceived.
24
In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on the earth.”